Lubricator.



G. KRAFT.

LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented May 2,

G. KRAFT.

LUBRIOATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1910. 991,214. Patented May 2,1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

RRIS PETER! a vumrvarcn, n. c.

GEORGE KRAFT, OF NASI-IUA, IOWA.

LUBR-ICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 20, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon KRAFT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nashua, in the county of Chickasaw and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Lubricator, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in lubricators.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of lubricators, and to provide a simple, eflicient and comparatively inexpensive lubricator, designed particularly for use on locomotives and adapted to produce a steady dropping or flow of oil, which will not be affected by variations in the cylinder pressure, whereby a proper operation of the lubricator is insured under all conditions of the running of a locomotive whether light or heavy, or on a level or grade.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lubricator, equipped with means for preventing condensation of steam in the sight glass tube from interfering and affecting a clear view of the dropping of oil from the oil reservoir, so that the engineer may see at any time whether the lubricator is working properly.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of a lubricator, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 designates an oil reservoir, provided at the bottom with a drain cock 2 and connected at the top with a condenser 3, located above the oil reservoir and equipped at its lower portion with a regulating valve 4 for controlling the flow of water from the condenser into the oil reservoir. The water from the condenser is delivered into the oil reservoir at the bottom thereof through a vertical tube 5, connected at its upper end with the condenser below the regulating valve 4 and extending downwardly therefrom to within a short distance of the bottom of the oil reservoir. The upper end 6 of the tube 5 is threaded, and is screwed into a threaded counter-bore 7 of the condenser, but it may be connected with the condenser in any other desired manner.

The oil reservoir is equipped with a sight glass tube 8, and an oil passage 9 extends from the upper end of the sight glass tube to the upper portion of the oil reservoir at one side thereof. An upturned pipe or elbow 10 extends from the inner end of the oil passage 9 and projects above the plane of the same, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and a short vertical oil pipe or tube 11 depends from the passage 9 and extends downwardly into the upper portion of the sight glass tube 8. The oil from the reservoir 1 flows through the pipe or tube 10 into the passage 9, and drops from the oil pipe 11 into the sight glass tube 8. The flow of oil through the passage 9 is controlled by a regulating valve 12, provided with a suitable hand wheel, and threaded into a bore or opening in the upper mounting of the sight glass tube 8 and having a tapered inner end, which co-acts with a valve seat 13, formed in the passage 9, adjacent to the upper end of the oil tube 11. By means of the valves 4 and 11, the flow of oil from the reservoir may be positively controlled.

The condenser is provided at the top with a neck 14, which is connected by a suitable coupling member 15 with a horizontal steam inlet pipe 16. The horizontal steam inlet pipe 16 is connected with a boiler pressure steam pipe 17, and steam from the boiler enters the inlet pipe 16, and the water of condensation is received in the condenser 3. In order to convey only dry steam to the sight glass tube 8, a reduced steam pipe 18 is employed. The pipe 18 extends from the Only very dry steam enters the horizontal section of the reduced steam pipe 18, which communicates with a short passage 21 of the upper mounting of the sight glass tube. A lower section 22 of the reduced steam pipe depends within the sight glass tube, and extends downward below the lower end of the depending oil tube 11 a considerable distance, so that the steam within the sight glass tube will not interfere with a clear view of the dropping of the oil from the depending oil pipe. As only dry steam is conducted to the sight glass tube condensed vapor 1s largely eliminated therefrom, and any steam condensing within the sight glass tube will be discharged from the reduced steam passage at a point below the depending o1l pipe and will not obscure the dropping oil, and

the engineer may plainly see at all times the quantity of oil dropping from the oil tube.

The oil flows from the lower mounting 23 of the sight glass tube through a passage 24 in a horizontal pipe or extension 25, which in the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, pierces the lubricator. The oil outlet is connected by a horizontal steam outlet pipe 26 with the boiler pressure steam pipe 17, a reduced pipe section 27 being preferably extended into the steam connecting pipe 26. The lower mounting 23 of the sight glass tube is equipped with a drain cock 28 and has a removable plug 29 at the bottom to afford access to the interior of the sight feed tube. v

The inlet and outlet pipes 16 and 26 are connected with the boiler pressure steam pipe 17 at the inner side of the throttle valve 30, or at points between the throttle valve and the boiler, so that the pressure at the inlet and outlet pipes 16 and 26 and also at the reduced steam pipe 19 is the same. By this construction the variation in the pressure supplied to the cylinders through the operation of the throttle valve does not affect the uniform operation of the lubricator, as is the case with lubricators where the steam inlet pipe has boiler pressure and the I outlet pipe is at cylinder pressure, which cylinder pressure varies with the work performed by the locomotive. When the locomotive or engine is in operation, there is always a travel of steam through the steam pipe, and this travel also takes place in the lubricator and especially in the sight glass tube. If the lower end of the steam pipe 22 were terminated at or above the lower end of the oil tube 11, steam pressure would pass down around the lower terminal of the oil pipe or tube 11 and create a strong suction, which would draw the oil from the oil tube in proportion to the amount of work performed by the engine. By extending the steam pipe 22 a considerable distance below the lower end of the oil pipe or tube, the suction 1s carried past the oil terminal a sufficient distance to relieve the oil pipe or tube of the same and prevent the pressure from interfering with an even flow or drop of oil. By extending the steam pipe or tube below the oil terminal in this manner, a uniform discharge of lubricant may be obtained when the locomotive or engine is performing either light or heavy work. The throttle valve is designed to be of the usual construction and operates in the ordinary manner, and the connections between the lubricator and the steam pipe may be varied to suit the requirements. The oil reservoir is provided at the top with a filling opening 31, having a suitable closure 82 and adapted to permit oil to be readily supplied to the reservoir.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. The combination with a boiler pressure steam pipe, and a throttle valve, of an oil reservoir, a sight glass tube having inlet and outlet passages extending therefrom, the inlet passage communicating with the oil reservoir, a condenser located above and communicating with the reservoir, a steam inlet pipe connected with the condenser and with the boiler pressure steam pipe, a steam and oil outlet pipe connecting the said outlet passage with the boiler pressure steam pipe, and a reduced steam pipe connecting the steam inlet pipe with the sight glass tube and having a section extending into the steam inlet pipe to a point beyond the condenser.

2. The combination with a boiler pressure steam pipe, and a throttle valve, of an oil reservoir, a sight glass tube having inlet and outlet passages extending therefrom, the inlet passage communicating with the oil reservoir, a condenser located above and communicating with the reservoir, a steam inlet pipe connected with the condenser and with the boiler pressure steam pipe, a steam and oil outlet pipe connecting the said outlet passage with the boiler pressure steam pipe, a reduced steam pipe connecting the steam inlet pipe with the sight glass tube and having a section extending into the steam inlet pipe to a point beyond the condenser, and a reduced steam pipe section depending within the sight glass tube and extending to the lower portion thereof.

3. A lubricator including a reservoir, a

passages connected therewith, the inlet passage communicating with the reservoir, an upwardly extending oil tube arranged at the inner end of the inlet passage, a depending oil tube located at the outer end of the inlet passage and extending downwardly into the sight glass tube, a condenser arranged above and connected with the oil reservoir, and a steam pipe extending into the sight glass tube from the top thereof and projecting below and beyond the oil pipe.

5. The combination with a boiler pressure steam pipe, and a throttle valve, of anoil reservoir, a sight glass tube provided with inlet and outlet passages, a condenser located above and connected with the oil reservoir, a steam inlet pipe extending from the condenser to the boiler pressure pipe, a steam and oil outlet pipe extending from the outlet passage to the boiler pressure pipe, an oil tube extending downwardly into the sight glass tube at the inlet passage, a reduced steam pipe connecting the steam inlet pipe with the sight glass tube and having sections extending into the steam inlet pipe and the sight glass tube, the sections within the sight glass tube being extended beyond the oil pipe, and a reduced pipe section arranged at the discharge passage and extending into the steam outlet pipe.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE KRAFT.

Witnesses:

A. L. KoU'r, J. F. NAFUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

